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Digital Televisions

On February 17, 2009 there will be a major change in TV braodcasts in the US, when most over the air television stations will switch over to digital transmissions (often called DTV). For the TV owner or buyer, there are basically two things you need to consider. First, will your TV support the new standard? If you bought it in the past couple of years, the answer is probably yes. All televisions manufactured after March 1st 2007 are required to include a DTV tuner, so most modern LCD, Plasma or rear projection TVs will include one. If you purchased your television before that date, it may not support digital broadcasts. We recommend you look at your documentation or contact your manufacturer if you are concerned that your TV does not support digital broadcasts. For the most part all modern HDTVs will support the digital standard.

If you determine that your TV does not support digital transmissions you can purchase a converter box that will allow you to receive over the air digital signals and convert them to the analog signals that your TV does support. Digital converter boxes retail for between $40 to $100 and the federal government is offering a $40 coupon to help allay the cost of the converters. The coupon does expire after 90 days so we recommend you don't get the coupon until you are ready to purchase a digital converter box.

If you receive your TV over a satellite or cable TV connection, the DTV changeover won't affect you. Both of these services will continue to operate in the same fashion, and you will not require any new equipment.

 To summarize:

1) If you get your TV via cable or satellite you don't need to worry about the digital transition.
2) If you have a TV manufactured after March 1st 2007 you don't need to worry about the digital transition.
3) If you have an older TV AND you get over the air broadcast TV you should purchase a converter box to ensure you can receive digital signals after February 17, 2009.

For more information on the digital TV transition and rebate, see the FCC's site here.

Sharp Aquos LC-46D64U LCD HDTV Review

The Sharp Aquos LC-46D64U is an entry level LCD television that offers the typical mix of good and bad that you would expect from an entry level television. On the plus side it's a thin HDTV, but it lacks any styling and the remote is just terrible. The ports are placed well, however we noticed jerky motion and problems upscaling lower resolution content, an issue if you're going to be watching standard definition content on the TV. The question, of course, is whether it's a good value.



Added on
2008-09-08 01:22:00

Samsung LN32A450 LCD HDTV Review

The Samsung LN32A450 is a 32-inch LCD HDTV that's available for as little as $600, making it an attractive options as an entry-level HDTV for many. Although it qualifies as a high definition television it has a lower 720p resolution than the highest resolution 1080p televisions that are currently available, not uncommon amongst smaller HDTVs. We did not find that this had a significant impact on the Samsung LN32A450's performance. In fact we were pleasantlly surprised at how well the HDTV performed in many of our tests.



Added on
2008-11-10 15:20:00

JVC LT-32P679 LCD HDTV Review

The JVC LT-32P679 is a 32-inch, entry-level LCD HDTV, available for as little as $600. As befits an entry-level television the JVC LT-32P679 does make some compromises. The 720p resolution is lower than higher-end 1080p sets, for example. Still, it's in the prime price range for those who are looking to pick up their first HDTV for a reasonable price. The question is whether that price hides fatal flaws or a great value.



Added on
2008-10-28 20:22:00

Vizio SV470XVT LCD HDTV Review

The Vizio SV470XVT is an entry-level 47-inch LCD HDTV. Available for around $1400 it sports some high-end features like 120Hz refresh rate. We found the Vizio SV470XVT performed admirably in most of our tests and should represent a good value for most people looking for a budget TV in this size range.



Added on
2008-10-09 20:07:00

Vizio VO47L LCD HDTV Review

Money talks, and in the case of the Vizio VO47L, it talks loudly, as this bargain basement LCD display is available for less than $1400. And it's not just trash talk either; the VO47LF has decent overall performance, with reasonable color and decent motion. It's not the best performing display we've ever seen, but in terms of what you get for your money, it's a great value pick. 



Added on
2008-09-08 21:14:00

Sony Bravia KDL-46W4100 LDC HDTV Review

The Sony Bravia KDL-46W4100 is an attractive and fully featured LCD HDTV. We were generally impressed by its performance, with dark blacks, accurate whites and a bright display. That doesn't mean there are no negatives, however, as the color gamut is slightly off and the viewing angle is simply terrible. Do the positive outweigh the negatives? Read the review to find out.



Added on
2008-09-08 21:12:00

JVC Procision LT-47X899 LCD HDTV Review

Priced at about $2600, the JVC Procision LT-47X899 is a premium LCD HDTV with a good selection of features, including a 120Hz refresh rate and JVC's third generation Clear Motion Drive processing engine. But the performance of this display doesn't justify the price; we found that the image quality was disappointing.



Added on
2008-09-06 17:16:00

Samsung LN46A750 LCD HDTV Review

Priced at around $1900, the LN46A750 is a mid-range 46-inch LCD TV. But it's definitely not mid-range in performance terms; we were very impressed with the image quality and the features that this stylish TV offers. 



Added on
2008-09-08 21:11:00

Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ8OU Plasma HDTV Review

The Panasonic TH-46PZ80U is a good example of the pluses and minuses of plasma displays. We were quite impressed by the viewing angle and reproduction of blacks. We were less happy with the poor brightness, and as you turn brightness up you lose color accuracy. There are a lot of other compromises in store if you read our review.



Added on
2008-09-08 21:08:00

Panasonic TC-37LZ85 LCD HDTV Review

The Panasonic TC-37LZ85 is a 37-inch LCD HDTV that sits at the lower end of the price range for televisions in its class. Available for as little as $900 the Panasonic TC-37LZ85 offers a full HD experience with a 1080p resolution. It also offers a few nice extras like an integrated memory card slot for viewing your photos. Of course the most important thing about any HDTV is how well it displays your picture. Read on to find out how the Panasonic TC-37LZ85 performs.



Added on
2008-12-08 17:12:00

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